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Ryokan's Kaz translation

Hi everybody,

I am flicking through the virtual pages of the latest treasure handed over by Kazuaki Tanahashi, a pricelesss collection of a bunch of Ryokan selected poems, which with some other Dogen stuff and Santoka bullshit haiku would be my desert island book. Ryokan was a homeless, filthy, stincky beggar, priest without student, lover of poetry and the Lotus Sutra, who used to roam Japan 200 years ago and is now seen as an very clear manifestation of Kannon. The book is called Sky Above, Great Wind, the title is from a famous piece of calligraphy Ryokan gave a boy who wanted to turn the written paper into a flying kite. This is as good as it gets, I worked on a couple of poems with a Japanese friend , and I am surprised to see that Kaz's translation is almost identical to what we came up with. Out of everything I know in English and French, this is the very best.

[

Rain frogs
disappear into
my scrubbing of the pot

~

The cloud covered sky
is all open.
the heart of Takuhatsu*
as it is~
a gift from heaven

*ritual begging wearing a large straw hat, robes and with a begging bowl

~

You see the moon by pointing your finger.
You recognize the finger by the moon.
The moon and the finger are not different. not the same.
In order to guide a beginner,
this analogy is temporaly used.
When you have realized this,
there is no moon, no finger.

~
And this wonderful description of his life and the action of sitting:

Rags upon rags,
tatter is my life.
I pluck my food on a country path.
My hut is buried in a tangle of weeds.
Looking at the moon, I hum all night;
deluded by blossoms, I forget to return.
Since leaving the monastery
what a fool I have become!

Thank you Taigu,
I hope not to hijack the thread when humbly asking why Ryokan is seen as a manifestation of Kannon.
I'm not saying he's not, I'm truly curious. Loving Ryokan. He seemed to be a lonesome guy not much
in touch with anyone else, no students as you say. Thats Kannon ? How does it fit ?
Gassho
Myoku

Ryokan was endlessly playing with children, talking to farmers and simple people, displaying an ordinary mind filled with wonder and countless ways to help and reach out for people in suffering. He was himself very ordinary, often emotional, soaking his books, sleeves, robes with tears or just laughing away at the most simple things. Playful, dansing, begging, drinking sake, laughing and selflessly sitting.

Kannon is not seen as a super Bosatsu, Kannon is present in the most humble actions. He had students, but no Dharma heir. His most famous student was a nun, Teishin, she was in her twenties and he was over seventy years old, he presumably had a love affair with her, or at least a very strong platonic bond. These days they would have a hard time in America, In the early 19th century Japan, they were very cautious too. The poems they excchanged are exquisite.

kannon listens to the cries of the world, and Ryokan was doing precisely that.

He was remembered dearly by everybody he met.

You have met Kannon many times today, Myoku, how didn't you recognize her~him~it? Even if you were alone, Kannon visited you. Even when alone Kannon can touch people's heart.

Please read Ryokan if you have a chance. And understand that Kannon and you are not two.

Thank you Taigu,
I hope not to hijack the thread when humbly asking why Ryokan is seen as a manifestation of Kannon.
I'm not saying he's not, I'm truly curious. Loving Ryokan. He seemed to be a lonesome guy not much
in touch with anyone else, no students as you say. Thats Kannon ? How does it fit ?
Gassho
Myoku

Ryokan's poetry was like finding a key to a lock I was fumbling with. It is precisely the fact that he expresses loneliness, melancholy, tears, yearning that allows Zen to show its human face. Without this human face we can not feel/express empathy - we can not be Kannon - IMHO.

I like to think of Ryokan as exemplifying the old monk in Shitou's 'Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage'
with a bit of softness, vulnerability and self deprecating humour thrown in

Hi Taigu,
Which store did you buy it in? US? French? Those annoying people at Amazon won't sell it to me, saying it's only available to UK customers. Then when I try the .com site it doesn't show up in the Kindle edition.
Gassho
Myozan

Ryokan's poetry was like finding a key to a lock I was fumbling with. It is precisely the fact that he expresses loneliness, melancholy, tears, yearning that allows Zen to show its human face. Without this human face we can not feel/express empathy - we can not be Kannon - IMHO.

Thank you for this Willow, so true.
Thank you Taigu for sharing this gem.

Rags upon rags,
tatter is my life.
I pluck my food on a country path.
My hut is buried in a tangle of weeds.
Looking at the moon, I hum all night;
deluded by blossoms, I forget to return.
Since leaving the monastery
what a fool I have become!

I can't believe they had this book at my local Barnes & Noble.. picked it up today! The introduction is much larger than the other book (the only other one I have on Ryokan): One Robe, One Bowl by John Stevens. I can't wait to get started on this.